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Larry Wilmore will get Colbert's Comedy Central seat

Larry Wilmore, currently Senior Black Correspondent on Comedy Central's 'The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,' will begin a new show in Stephen Colbert's time slot when the latter leaves the cable network.

Larry Wilmore, currently Senior Black Correspondent on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, will begin a new show in Stephen Colbert's time slot when the latter leaves the cable network. Colbert is heading to CBS, where he will take over The Late Show after David Letterman retires in 2015.

Starting in January, the Emmy-winning Wilmore will headline The Minority Report with Larry Wilmore, which Comedy Central describes as "a comedic look at news, current events and pop culture from unique perspectives not typically on display in late-night television. ... The series will feature a diverse panel of voices currently underrepresented in comedy and television."

Stewart created the series. His Busboy Productions will produce the New York-based show, and he and Wilmore will serve as executive producers.

Wilmore and Stewart exchanged some sporting jabs in statements accompanying the announcement.

"I'm beyond excited to have this chance to continue my relationships with Comedy Central and the brilliant Jon Stewart. I love the city of New York and promise to only wear my Laker t-shirts when I'm layering," Wilmore said.

Stewart praised his late-night colleague. "While Larry Wilmore is a brilliant comic and showrunner, this is all just a complicated ruse to get him to move to New York and turn him into a Knicks fan."

Comedy Central President Michele Ganeless praised the late-night addition. "We are thrilled to be expanding our relationship with Jon Stewart and Busboy Productions and are looking forward to the world getting to know Larry Wilmore even better. He's a spectacular talent in front of and behind the camera," she said.

Wilmore, who joined The Daily Show in 2006, wrote for such TV shows as In Living Color and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and he co-created The PJs with Eddie Murphy and The Bernie Mac Show with its namesake. He also was a consulting producer on The Office. He started his career as an actor and stand-up comic.